I continue to meet great people in this profession, people who believe in me and who help me to go further than I would go by myself. I wish to express my thanks to all of you.

For Steve the dry stretch was tough, but fortunately relatively short, thanks to Yves G. Piaget. Privately, he decided to help Steve acquire two top horses, Pontiac and Jalisca Solier. “I did this as a friend, with trust and belief (in Steve)”, insists Yves G. Piaget, who had previously helped out young riders and also Laurence and Philippe Schneider. “I value Steve’s talent and seriousness and I did not want his career to be interrupted”. In addition, “Philippe Guerdat is a long-time friend of mine. When we met in Monaco during the competition and had a cup of coffee together, we talked about Steve. He knew he could count on me. This was neither a sponsoring idea nor a patronage; it was a gesture of confidence in Steve. We all come from the canton of Jura, we almost have the same accent, mine is a bit more like the one in Neuchâtel, but we are from the same region. The Guerdats are real people – when they show their true character, they really mean it and when they laugh, they laugh and that’s what I like about them. Steve likes his horses; he cares for them and works them well. Philippe does everything to help Steve and to find him horses. One must support such efforts. We have a role in our society and that is to act and help out”.

Yves G. Piaget is definitely passionate about horses, as reflected in his activities: long-time Vice-President of the FSSE, President of the CSI-W Geneva in the 1980s, co-founder of the Promotions CH in Avenches and IENA patron right from the beginning, breeder and rider in his spare time. Currently he is Vice-President of the Fédération Equestre Monégasque and maybe now he will have the time to watch and see what is going on with his horses. “I strongly believe in Steve. He is a young person with a serious attitude. I have met many great champions and they often had the makings of a leader. Senna, for example, was a “smart guy”, very fair even when he fought like crazy while he was behind the wheel. Without a doubt, it will be the same for Steve and his horses”.

Texte: Alban Poudret